fontaine
Monday, March 01, 2010
Just an expression for you today... we'll be back with more words on Wednesday. Meantime, thank you for your break-a-leg letters of encouragement vis-à-vis my Shakespeare & Company talk tonight... which brings us to today's quote:
(Dans la vie) "Il ne faut jamais dire: Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau.”
(In life) "We must never say : Fountain, I will not drink your water."
***
Postnote: more about what this quote means to me when we return mercredi! Thanks go to Newforest for helping me translate today's proverb.
To leave a note, please click over to the blog, then find the comments link at the end of this post. Thank you!
A dream discours in Paris. More on Wednesday.
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Have a great week Kristin!
xx
Posted by: Mona | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 06:44 AM
Hmmm, Kristin - that quote says to me that when life offers you nourishment (for the body, mind or soul) you must imbibe!
I'll bet that the talk went well and that you are satiated by the many drinks you've taken (some more tasty than others) from the many fountains you've stopped by to visit in your life??? Si??
In any case I look forward to the story behind the quote AND to the particulars that Newforest will provide for us also.
Posted by: Karen in Towson, Md. USA | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 01:25 PM
Bonne chance ce soir chez Shakespear & Co. Nous serons la.
Posted by: Bernie Duhaime | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 01:30 PM
Oui, bonne chance. Je voudrais etre la, mais c'est un peu loin de Chicago. Le blog Parler Paris a une petite annonce de cet evenement.
Posted by: Jackie | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 01:48 PM
Oh how I wish I were in Paris to hear you speak tonight!! Congratulation and good luck! Shakespeare and Company is good company to be in! Sorry about that sentence construction!
Posted by: Jeanne | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 02:07 PM
Full steam ahead Kristin!! Good luck and have a great night!
Posted by: Holly Sloboda | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 02:30 PM
Checking the clock, I see that you still have another four hours until your talk begins at Shakespeare & Co. Hopefully the "stage fright" is manageable and more like Chistmas Eve anticipation. You're a natural, I know you'll do well.
Looking forward to hearing more about today's proverb from both you and Newforest. I'd like to share a quotation a friend passed along to me recently. "Life is not about how to survive the storm, but rather, how to dance in the rain." Kristin, you strike me as one who dances in the rain and could get us all to join you. Break a leg!
Posted by: Claudia from Bridgehampton, NY | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 02:53 PM
OOPS - that's right, it's tonight. I was thinking it was this past weekend. Best of luck!! Wish I could be there. You'll be you and that will be wonderful.
Posted by: Karen in Towson, Md. USA | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 02:58 PM
Kristen:
Best Of Luck! Love the photos of the fountain and one of the best camera angle shots of the Eiffel Tower I have seen...
Joanny
Posted by: joanny | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 03:08 PM
Good Luck! Boa sorte! (in portuguese)
Posted by: Raquel Medeiros | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Kristi,
Thanks for the Eiffel Tower and something encouraging to think about today! Can't wait to see more and hear about your adventures.
Missy
Posted by: Missy | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Cant wait to hear what that means, je suis confusee! A bientot!
Posted by: Philadelphie | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 03:54 PM
I hope your discourse goes well. I guess I don't know whether it is in French or English. With either one you will do wonderfully. I hope you wow 'em in Paris!
Posted by: Franklin Levin | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 04:01 PM
Oh, BTW this means the comment box is working for me again. Bravo TypePad®!
Posted by: Franklin Levin | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 04:02 PM
Ah Paris, que je t'aime de tout mon coeur! Chere Kristin, you are preparing to speak as I write this. I pray that you may say all that you wish in that so wonderful "Kristi way"! Will you share your photos as well? For they also have your special "way". Bonne Chance, mon amie!
Posted by: Candy in SW KS | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 04:37 PM
All best wishes for your appearance chez Shakespeare!
I'll be thinking of you and wishing I were there, too!
Posted by: Christine | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 04:42 PM
I am so excited for you!...My very best wishes to a Wonderful Gal in my favorite place in the world .
Terry
Posted by: Terry | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 05:02 PM
Indeed, never say never!
“Il ne faut jamais dire: Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau” - the French quote (according to what I read a while ago) comes from “un fabliau du Moyen Age”.
“Un fabliau du Moyen Age” is a short story in verse told in the Middle Ages to entertain the audience / the readers - and underline "la morale de l'histoire" (the lesson to be learned from the story).
In the fabliau, a man, well known for his heavy drinking, did swear, one day, he would never ever drink a drop of water in his whole life. One night, our "ivrogne" (drunkard), having drunk a lot more than usual, was staggering along, trying to find his way home. He stumbled, fell into the wide basin around a fountain, (most probably head first, so, swallowed a lot of water!) and he drowned. The following morning, his friends in the village found him dead. They thought the poor chap should have never sworn he would never in his life drink a drop of water!
... and from this sad story of the drunkard came the picturesque expression: "Il ne faut jamais dire: Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau"!
This expression is still very true. Circumstances, opinions, changes of situation affect us all. We cannot claim we will never ever do something that, at one time, would have been absolutely and totally impossible and unthinkable for us to do.
Kristin, I didn't know one of my comments on your first picture in your latest Cinéma Vérité would have found an echo in today's (and Wednesday's?) Newsletter!
Posted by: Newforest | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 05:07 PM
Kristin, I've seen lots of photos of "La Tour Eiffel" before and feel a bit blasée about any new photographic vision of the old metallic tower. However, I've been asking myself: WHY do I love so much the picture you gave us today?
I found one good 'geometrical' reason but I soon realised the most important point for me wasn't proportions or perspective ... So, what is it?
It's the colour & texture of the sky and the way the head of the tower seems to stretch itself to reach it and beautifully touch the tormented clouds passing by. Thank you!
Once more, all the best for le speech in a good couple of hours. You will feel we're all there...
Posted by: Newforest | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 05:43 PM
Kristin, best of luck at Shakespeare & Co!
This post brought back fond memories of the three months I spent in Paris in 2005. I was fortunate to win an architectural prize that sent me to Paris to do watercolor depictions of the fontaines publiques in Paris. I did almost forty paintings while there.
If you have the time, please visit my website: www.reardonwatercolors.com where you will find a few of those paintings.
I've been avidly following your posts for six years now and still enjoy them immensely. Please keep it up.
Posted by: Michael Reardon | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 05:54 PM
Bonne chance encore!
Posted by: Eileen | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 06:26 PM
Wish I was there to lend my support, but know I am in spirit. I know you will do great. Love the pictures in today's post.
Posted by: Karen from Phoenix, AZ | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 09:01 PM
Bon cnance Kristin! I would definately go and cheer you on if I was in town.
Your expression today comes at an excellent time...
Posted by: Christine Dashper | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 09:07 PM
Kristin - looking forward to hearing how it went - maybe some photos?
Michael - your watercolours are beautiful!
Posted by: Fiona | Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 12:37 AM
I think the closest American English equivalent would be, "Never say never!"
As far as the Shakespeare & Co. talk goes, Je vous souhaite m***e à la 13ième puissance!
Posted by: dkahane | Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 02:01 AM
Wish I was there; can't wait for the video!! Most of all, hope you enjoyed every minute!
Posted by: Devra Long | Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 03:54 AM
Wishing you the very best, and thinking what a blessing it would be to be in the audience. Stunning photo of the tower.
Posted by: Jennifer in OR | Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 06:42 AM
Kristin I hope all is going well in Paris.
Michael, your art is wonderful!
Newforest, I really enjoy reading your insight on life.
Posted by: Buffy | Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 03:00 PM
I want to be there!!
Posted by: jenn | Monday, March 08, 2010 at 07:33 PM